The government Thursday reaffirmed its commitment to close UberPOP, after a glazed mobilization day of violence that saw around 3,000 taxis angry block train stations and airports to denounce the “wild competition” of mobile application.
“The government will never be resolved to the law of the jungle. UberPOP is an illegal service, it must be closed, “promised in the evening the Minister of the Interior after receiving taxi unions. Bernard Cazeneuve acknowledged, however, that closing the application, which connects passengers and individuals driving their personal vehicle could only result from a court decision.
Meanwhile he requested that the vehicles be UberPOP “systematically seized when caught in the act” and announced a new meeting with the unions on July 3.
Given the firmness displayed by the government, Taxi unions seemed cautious about continuing their strike.
“We advise drivers to break camp, for us the strike is lifted,” said AFP Abdel Ghalfi of CFDT. “But some of the taxis are to remain Porte Maillot”, instead of western Paris they block since Thursday morning, he added in the late evening, without excluding new “isolated actions”.
“If a large number of taxis want to continue, we will support,” warned Karim Asnoun (CGT). More radical, Ibrahima Sylla, the organization Taxis de France, assured wanting to continue the movement. “Taxis are Porte Maillot,” he began.
The square was still blocked Thursday by dozens of taxis, in a much calmer atmosphere than in the morning. Dany, 29, sums up despite demonstrators: “They take us for hams”
In the morning, on the same square, taxis stormed and torched two cars with transportation. driver (VTC) –pourtant authorized and having nothing to do with UberPOP–, causing the intervention of law enforcement
-. Violence “ineligible” –
Throughout France, ten people were arrested Thursday “under the excesses seen during the protests of taxi drivers” Seven police officers injured and 70 vehicles damaged, according to Bernard Cazeneuve.
Condemning the violence “unacceptable”, Prime Minister Manuel Valls has promised that the perpetrators, “which are found in both camps” would be “prosecuted”.
Lawyers UberPOP drivers accused them taxi s organize “into private militias” and mount “ambushes”.
The American group VTC Uber challenges the constitutionality of the law on road transport and has appealed his conviction to 100,000 euros fine for abusively presented as UberPOP a carpool service. This call, which will be reviewed in October, is suspensive, Uber has maintained its service at bargain prices. Its managing director for France, Thibaud Simphal, assured that pending court decisions, “UberPOP can continue.”
In the capital, traffic was disrupted. The access to the station from the North to the Gare de Lyon were blocked by dozens of cars. At Orly airport, strikers were hunting for illegal drivers, and Roissy, the access to several terminals were blocked for several hours. In both airports, VTC overthrew people, injuring them slightly.
Tensions and also disturbances in Lyon, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nice or Marseille. For Gilles Alonso, the Alliance union Taxi 13, “when one performs any social care, it’s easy to shop at 3 or 4 euros.”
A total of 2,800 taxis were mobilized in France with a “thirty stumbling blocks” according to a police source.
Some situations are the buzz, like tweets from the American singer Courtney Love, widow of Nirvana leader Kurt Cobain: “They hit our car with iron bars. It was France? I’m safer in Baghdad. Francois Hollande, where is the fucking police? “.
UberPOP boasts 400,000 users in France. But its drivers do not pay taxes or contributions or have not followed the required 250 hours of training and are not insured professionally.
Unregistered drivers could face up to one year in prison, 15,000 euros fines, license suspension and confiscation of the vehicle.
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